Endangered species: PANDAS!

-Pandas are one of the rarest animals in the world. They live only in small area in the mountains of South-Western China.

-There are only 500-1000 pandas surviving in the wild,and the number is descreasing all the time. There are about 100 more in zoos and research stations.

-Although they are protected,pandas are still poached for their skins. Because they are so rare their skins are very valuable.

-Pandas live in mountain forests,and can only eat bamboo. As their habitat is getting smaller and smaller pandas are in danger of dying from lack of suitable food.

-Zoos are making efforts to breed pandas in captivity but this is very difficult. Also baby pandas weight only 100 grams at birth so they need to be looked after very carefully. Since 1963 about 50 baby pandas have been born in captivity and around half of them are still alive today.